AMORPHOUS ALLOY HOOKS AND METHODS OF MAKING SUCH HOOKS

• US 20090101244A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property LLC
• Original Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property LLC
• Inventors: Ogawa, Dennis, Pham, Quoc Tran, Peker, Atakan
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 148/538
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 83/00 Fish-hooks
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 45/00 Amorphous alloys making amorphous non-ferrous alloys C22C1/11
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 45/02 with iron as the major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 45/10 with molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium or Hf as the major constituent

Abstract

Mechanical hooks made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys provide ruggedness, durability, higher service loads, excellent resistance to chemical and environmental effects, and low-cost manufacturing are provided. In addition, methods of making such mechanical hooks from bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A mechanical hook comprising bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

2. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the hook comprises at least one bent elongated body.

3. The mechanical hook of claim 2, wherein the elongated body comprises an open loop.

4. The mechanical hook of claim 2, wherein the elongated body comprises a closed loop.

5. The mechanical hook of claim 2, wherein the elongated body further comprises a sharpened tip at one end.

6. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the hook is a fish hook.

7. The mechanical hook of claim 2, wherein the elongated body has a variable cross-section.

8. The mechanical hook as in claim 7, which is net-shape formed.

9. A mechanical hook as in claim 7, wherein the cross-section of said hook is optimized to maximize a Second Moment (I) for loading stresses.

10. The mechanical hook of claim 5, wherein the elongated body has a variable cross-section, and wherein the cross-section decreases adjacent to the sharpened tip.

11. The mechanical hook of claim 2, wherein the elongated body is isotropic.

12. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula:

(Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu, Fe)_b(Be, Al, Si, B)_c, wherein “

a”

is in the range of from 30 to 75, “

b”

is in the range of from 5 to 60, and “

c”

is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages.

13. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula:

(Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu)_b(Be)_c, wherein “

a”

is in the range of from 40 to 75, “

b”

is in the range of from 5 to 50, and “

c”

is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages.

14. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy can sustain strains up to 1.5% or more without any permanent deformation or breakage.

15. The mechanical hook r of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy has a high fracture toughness of at least 20 ksi-in^0.5.

16. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy amorphous alloy has a Δ

T of 60°

C. or greater.

17. The mechanical hook of claim 1, wherein the amorphous alloy has a hardness of 7.5 Gpa and higher.

18. A method of making mechanical hooks of bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, comprising the steps of:

providing a sheet feedstock of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy being in a substantially amorphous state, and having an elastic strain limit of about 1.5% or greater and having a Δ

T of 30°

C. or greater;

heating the feedstock to around the glass transition temperature of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;

shaping the heated feedstock into a desired hook shape; and

cooling the formed mechanical hook to temperatures far below the glass transition temperature.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the Δ

T of the amorphous alloy is greater than 60°

C.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the Δ

T of the amorphous alloy is greater than 90°

C.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the elastic strain limit of the amorphous alloy is substantially preserved during processing to be not less than 1.5%.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the temperature around the glass transition is at least a temperature below the crystallization temperature T_x.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the cooling step is carried out under a forming and shaping load.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising a finishing process selected from the group consisting of oxide removal, chemical etching, grinding, and polishing.

25. A method of making mechanical hooks of bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, comprising the steps of:

providing a homogeneous alloy feedstock of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy in either an amorphous or non-amorphous state;

heating the feedstock to a casting temperature above the melting temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy;

introducing the molten alloy into a shape-forming mold of a mechanical hook; and

quenching the molten alloy to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to form the mechanical hook.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the amorphous alloy has a Δ

T of greater than 60°

C.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the amorphous alloy has a Δ

T of greater than 90°

C.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the amorphous alloy has an elastic strain after processing of not less than 1.5%.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the temperature around the glass transition is at least a temperature below the crystallization temperature T_x.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising a finishing process selected from the group consisting of oxide removal, chemical etching, grinding, and polishing.